BEIRUT, Nov 13: Assistant Foreign Minister Ambassador Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah affirmed on Wednesday that Kuwait ranks among the highest in the world for women’s empowerment in science and technology, achieving a rate of 70 percent.

Speaking during the first session of the “Women on the Front Lines” conference in Beirut, organized by the May Chidiac Foundation, Sheikha Jawaher highlighted Kuwait’s notable progress in advancing women’s roles across multiple fields. She pointed out that the two largest educational institutions in the country — Kuwait University and Abdullah Al-Salem University — are both headed by women, alongside strong female representation in the oil sector, banking, and financial institutions.

Assistant Foreign Minister Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah with the Chairperson of the May Chidiac Foundation, the organizer of the conference.

Sheikha Jawaher stressed that Kuwaiti women have excelled in vital sectors over the past six decades, including economic, judicial, diplomatic, security, and military fields. She underscored that Kuwait has enacted numerous laws and legislations supporting women’s empowerment and participation in public life. Still, she emphasized that the most significant factor behind their success is “the support of the wise and prudent leadership,” which has empowered women to hold key leadership positions within the state.

The Assistant Foreign Minister noted that Kuwait has recently undertaken reforms advancing women’s rights, such as the repeal of Article 153 of the Penal Code, which addressed so-called “honor killings,” and the raising of the legal marriage age for girls, among other legislative measures aimed at strengthening women’s status in society.

She further emphasized that Arab women do not need laws or legislation to justify their presence in various state institutions, as they are “human beings with rights and integral members of society.”

Sheikha Jawaher revealed that Kuwait currently has around 980 laws and legislations concerning women’s and human rights, noting that 10 percent of these laws are under review and amendment to enhance equality and protection further.

Addressing the challenges faced by women, she noted that social bullying and exclusion continue to undermine women’s confidence in some societies, yet affirmed that Kuwaiti women are represented in the Cabinet, reflecting the nation’s progress in gender inclusion.

She called for merit-based appointments to public-sector positions, stressing that “competence and professionalism should guide selection, not gender.” She added that men and women “complement each other in their essential roles in society; they are partners, not competitors.”

The opening session of the 12th “Women on the Front Lines” conference was attended by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Sheikha Jawaher Al-Sabah, and senior officials from several Arab countries responsible for women’s affairs.